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Wherever you are in Cumbria and the Lake District you can feel the shadow of a deep cultural heritage. Here are the standing stones and circles of the ancients, the powerful traces of Rome and the mighty fortresses of the Normans. The history of the Vikings, the Angles and the Saxons is read in the names they left behind, including fell, dale, beck, ghyll, mere, tarn and howe.
Later arrivals came not to conquer but to bask in the beauty of the landscapes and let it inspire them to artistic greatness: William Wordsworth, John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter, JMW Turner, Kurt Schwitters and Andy Goldsworthy are just a few of the names who carved their creativity out of Cumbrian stone; today, a rich creative life builds on this exceptional heritage.
You can see it and feel it within a few short miles; the artworks in mountains and forests, the scores of galleries and artists’ studios, the packed programme performances and festivals – not just music and comedy but wool, print and ceramics. It's the intimate venues and outdoor stages in stunning settings that make a cultural break here something unique.
For a taste of the art and culture waiting for you in England’s best-known landscape explore the sections below and at www.lakesculture.co.uk.
Kendal Museum is one of the oldest museums in the UK, founded in 1796 by William Todhunter. The…
Kendal Castle is situated on a mound-like hill, known as a drumlin, to the east of the town of…
Circle has a diameter of 60' and stands on a flattened mound or platform. There are 20 uprights,…
Dating back to the 17th century, this unique building stands over Stock Beck in the middle of…
A magical indoor attraction that brings to life all 23 Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit tales. Meet…
Steam trains running a seasonal daily service from Haverthwaite to Lakeside via the Leven valley.…
Located in Keswick, the home of the first pencil, visitors enter this museum through a replica…
Three stone circles and two smaller settings of boulders 12' across. Inside one of the circles was…
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars,…
A tranquil haven with an almost-forgotten industrial past. Walled garden with outstanding medicinal…
Come and visit our brewery to find out more about us and the beers we make. Only a 2 minute walk…
Double Circle of stones surrounding cremations in urns (removed). 'Platform' cairn, small barrows,…
A beautiful Norman church on site of 7th century monastery in peaceful Lakeland location and home…
A masterpiece of storytelling; 350 years of social history and a celebration of life, revolutions…
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations…
The 'Old Church' of St Martin was built in the 1660's on the site of a probable earlier chapel…
Beatrix Potter's iconic house, full of her personal possessions, with traditional cottage garden.…
Grade I listed, it is one of the finest examples of a late medieval, vernacular Lake District…
Parkland and Gothic Revival castle sitting on the west shore of Windermere providing an impressive…
The church, dedicated to the Celtic Saint Bega, is situated in a picture perfect setting in fields…
The priory is one of the architectural jewels in Cumbria and well worth a visit. This beautiful and…
St Mary's has been an important religious site since the 8th century.
St Peter’s was built in 1874 designed by well known Lancashire firm of Paley and Austin and won an…
Lakeland Arts' much-loved art collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture ranging…
Wherever you are in Cumbria the history of the Vikings, the Angles and the Saxons is read in the names they left behind
Number of results: 117
, currently showing 61 to 80.
Penrith
Imagine coming to a ruined castle, walking through its gardens and into the woodlands and stumbling across one of the largest adventure playgrounds in the country. When you do this at Lowther, you have found the lost castle.
Cockermouth
A unique and special cafe experience on board the replica Orient Express train and restored station buildings, with a level-access path along the former platform and through woodland teeming with wildlife. Serving interesting and fresh cafe food,…
Kendal
Lakeland Arts' much-loved art collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture ranging from the 1700's to the present. In our refreshed collection galleries discover the stories of our extraordinary collection pieces and the people…
Workington
Stone circle is now incomplete and has a modern wall cutting through it, incorporating one stone. Eleven others survive, some only a few inches high.
Ravenglass
Dominating the Lake District Coast where the mountains tumble into the sea and bursting with treasures and tales, haunted Muncaster oozes history from every rough stone which fashion the castle walls.
CARLISLE
A local landowner, Sarah Losh (1785-1853), designed St Mary's in 1840, partly in memory of her sister and parents. Influenced by the architecture seen on her Grand Tour of Europe, she created an original design that was very much at odds with the…
Embleton
The 15 stones, of which the tallest is just under one metre, form an almost perfect circle some 40 metres in diameter. Only 15 stones of the original 30 remain.
Coniston
Meet Coniston's heroes, John Ruskin, artist, radical and seer and Donald Campbell, speed ace. View the fully restored Bluebird craft in the Bluebird wing of the museum. Discover the mineral wealth of the fells, all at 'the most thought provoking…
Conishead Priory, Ulverston
Peaceful and inspiring Buddhist Temple, amazing Romantic Gothic mansion, relaxing café, gift shop and book store. Bring a picnic. Six minute woodland walk to beach.
Grasmere
A visit to Dove Cottage today transports you back to this remarkable period of ‘plain living and high thinking’. The sights, sounds and smells bring to life the bustling family home the Wordsworths would have known over 200 years ago.
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
968 reviewsNr Seascale
Three circles and nine small cairns. The south circle is 104' across, the north-west is 72' with a low central cairn. The third is immediately north of the second, it is 24' across and also encloses a small cairn.
CARLISLE
The tranquility of St Andrew's church, set on the banks of the river Esk, belies the turbulence of its past. The church serves the scattered population in the rural parish of Kirkandrews on Esk, once the centre of the historic and lawless Debateable…
Lakeside
Steam from the lake shore of Windermere along the heritage track to Haverthwaite Station, where you can visit the station tea room, gift shop, woodland playground, picnic area and engine shed. Steam trains running a seasonal daily service from…
Windermere
A real Lakeland hidden treasure set in the beautiful village of Troutbeck, this 17thC solid stone and slate house sits imposingly on the hillside, its huge chimneys typical of the area.
WHITEHAVEN
A fine example of a Georgian church, which has been sympathetically modernised.
The Promenade, Maryport
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars, inscriptions and sculptures from the adjacent Roman fort and civilian settlement.
Ulverston
Swarthmoor Hall is a 17th century, Grade II* listed country house. It is known as the cradle of Quakerism as the movement was founded here almost 400 years ago. Visitors can relax in our cosy cafe or browse for something special in our gift shop.…
Brampton
Birdoswald Roman Fort is the perfect place to see the longest continuous remaining stretch of this World Heritage Site, Hadrian's Wall. Explore the remains of the Roman fort and discover displays, artefacts and rest in the Tearoom.
Bowness-on-Windermere
Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house is a rare architectural gem in the heart of the Lake District and offers a perfectly preserved snapshot of early 20th-century living.
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
880 reviewsCARLISLE
The 8th century, Anglo Saxon Bewcastle Cross, stands free in the churchyard where it has been for nearly 1500 years. The church is somewhat simpler and certainly younger, with some parts of it dating from 1277, although mostly it is from the…
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